Toothpick-holder.



' e. WILEA VELL.

TOOTH PICK HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1915- Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

GALEN w. LEA vnnL, or WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON.

roo'rHrIoK-HoLnER,

Application filed March 10, 1915. Serial No. 13,446.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GALEN W. LEA VELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVenatchee, in the county of Chelan and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothpick- Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in containers which are particularly adapted for use in holding tooth picks.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a tooth pick holder in which a plurality of tooth picks may be placed and from which the tooth picks may only be removed, one at a time.

An additional object is to so form the bottom of the container or holder that a new pick will be fed into the opening therethrough, immediately subsequent to the removal of the previously protruding pick.

Another object is to insert in the exit opening of the bottom of the holder, a helical spring which is of such diameter that its coils will yieldably grip a pick as it starts to drop through the opening and will'hold it against complete withdrawal, unless pulled with considerable force.

The above and other objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is an elevation of the holder, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken medially through the holder, with the parts thereof in assembled relation; and Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3-3, of Fig. 2.

As embodied in the accompanying drawings, my holder includes a substantially cylindrical body portion 10, which is preferably formed of glass, porcelain, or some similar material having a decorative appearance. The upper end of the body member 10 is preferably closed by an integral semi-spherical crown piece 11. The lower Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

end of the member 10 is open, but is normally closed by a removable bottom plug 12. This member 12 is preferably formed of metal, so that the center of gravity of the holder will be relatively low, thus guarding against accidental overturning of the holder. The member 12 is circular in shape, having a diameter slightly greater than the major portion of the body member so that it may be snugly received within the depending annular flange 13. It will be observed that an annular internal shoulder 15 is formed at the junction of the body member and the annular flange 14 thereof. This shoulder serves to limit the inward movement of the member 12 when this member is being applied'to the body member.

The plug is accompanied by a laterally and outwardly extending annular flange 16, which is formed at its lower end. From the outer edge of this flange rises at right angles, an annular flange 17. This member 17 is threaded on its inner face, as indicated at 18 for engagement with the threads 19 formed in the outer face of the member 10. The member 10 is formed with an exteriorly located annular shoulder 20, which is disposed to serve as a stop shoulder for the flange 17.

Y The inner face of the plug 12 is cored out to produce a substantially conical wall, the apex of which is centrally located and is defined by a circular opening or orifice 21. It will, of course, be apparent that the inclination of the inner face 22 of the plug 12 will cause a new pick to be fed into the opening 21, immediately subsequent to theremoval of the pick previously disposed therein. Within the annular groove 23, formedin the wall of the opening 21, there is seated a helical spring 24. The convolutions of this coil are of such diameter that they will yieldably engagea. tooth pick which drops through the opening after the point of the pick is projected a sufficient distance beyond the outer face of the member 12, to enable the user toobtain an adequate hold. The outer or lower face of the plug 12 is concaved, as best illustrated in Fig. 2,the purpose of this being to cause the spacing of the orifice 21 from the table or other article of furniture upon which the holder rests. In this manner the projecting point of the tooth pick is protected against dust and the like and is prevented from engaging the table-cl th.

loo

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the (form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, 'is the most efiicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary,'it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of-construction, proportion and arrangernent of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A tooth pick holder including a cylindrical body, a closure plug for the lower end of the body, the inner face of said plug being downwardlv and centrally inclined, the plug being formed with a centrally located exit orifice through which the tooth picks contained in the body are adapted to pass, and a yieldable member disposed in said opening for preventing the complete exit of a tooth pick through the opening except when a force other than that of gravity is applied to the pick, said member having a diameter less than the greatest diameter of a tooth pick and greater than the smallest diameter of a tooth pick.

2. A tooth pick holder including a body, an end member closing one end. of the body and provided with a downwardly and centrally inclined recess upon its inner face and with a central discharge opening, and

a helical spring operatively mounted in said opening and adapted to engage a tooth pick for preventing the complete discharge therelower end thereof, said plug being provided with a conical inner face, and a centrally located discharge opening, there being an annular groove formed in the Wall of said opening, and a helical spring seated in said groove, said spring being adapted to engage a tooth pick for preventing the complete discharge thereof, unless a force other than that of gravity is applied to the pick.

4. A tooth pick holder including a hollow body member closed at its lowerend by a wall intersecting the body, the inner face of the wall having a downwardly and centrally inclined recess, the outer face of the wall having an, upwardly and centrally inclined concavity, there being a central discharge perforation through said. Wall, and means disposed in said perforation. for preventing the complete exit of a tooth pick therethrough except when a force other than that of gravity is exerted upon the pick.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in. the presence of two witnesses.

GALEN w. LEA VELL...

Witnesses:

DOLLIE LEA VELL, H. L. PFAFF. 

